Early Resumption of Sexual Intercourse and Its Associated Factors Among Postpartum Women in Western Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Open Access
- 1 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in International Journal of Women's Health
- Vol. ume 12, 381-391
- https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s231859
Abstract
Background: Women are often forced to recommence sexual intercourse after childbirth to maintain intimacy and fulfill their partners’ desires. Early resumption of postpartum sexual intercourse leads to sexual health problems and unwanted pregnancy if not complemented with appropriate contraceptive use. However, sexual practice during the early postpartum period has received little attention in clinical and research settings. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the early resumption of sexual intercourse and its associated factors among postpartum women attending public health institutions in Nekemte town, Western Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out from March to April 2019. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 528 postpartum women. An interviewer-administered, pretested, and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were coded and entered into Epi Info 7.2.1, and exported to SPSS version 20.0 to run bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions. Results: One in five postpartum women (20.2%, 95% CI: 17.1– 23.6) practiced an early resumption of sexual intercourse, of whom three-fifths (58%) did not use any contraceptives. Women’s secondary education (AOR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.07– 0.71), husband’s elementary (AOR=0.23, 95% CI: 0.06– 0.87) and secondary education (AOR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.07– 0.88), as well as women’s fertility status (parity of one) (AOR=3.52, 95% CI: 1.24– 10.01), normal vaginal delivery (AOR=5.44, 95% CI: 1.84– 16.12), giving birth to a male child (AOR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.05– 3.60), desire for another child (AOR=5.71, 95% CI: 1.89– 17.25), and pressure from the husband to initiate intercourse (AOR=9.89, 95% CI: 4.99– 19.58) were significantly associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse. Conclusion: A significant proportion of postpartum women who resume early sexual intercourse do not use any contraceptives. Interventions that focus on strengthening the integration of postpartum sexual health education and service use are warranted.Keywords
This publication has 33 references indexed in Scilit:
- Postpartum resumption of sexual activity, sexual morbidity and use of modern contraceptives among Nigerian women in JosAnnals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, 2014
- Prolonged sexual abstinence after childbirth: gendered norms and perceived family health risks. Focus group discussions in a Tanzanian suburbBMC International Health and Human Rights, 2013
- Exploring Women’s Postpartum Sexuality: Social, Psychological, Relational, and Birth-Related Contextual FactorsThe Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2012
- Sex After ChildbirthObstetrics & Gynecology, 2012
- Influence of HIV infection on women's resumption of sexual intercourse and use of contraception in the postpartum period in rural UgandaInternational Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2011
- Assessing women's sexual life after childbirth: the role of the postnatal checkMidwifery, 2011
- Sexual Function in Women 3 Days and 6 Weeks After Childbirth: A Prospective Longitudinal Study Using the Taiwan Version of the Female Sexual Function IndexThe Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2010
- Postpartum female sexual functionEuropean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 2009
- Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health: from slogan to service deliveryThe Lancet, 2007
- Breast-feeding, return of menses, sexual activity and contraceptive practices among mothers in the first six months of lactation in Onitsha, South Eastern NigeriaJournal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2005